Overview

Auditorium in 1929

The 3,500-seat Paramount Theatre opened in early February 1929, with a screening of Redskin (1929)  starring Richard Dix, with Paul Spor dressed in a white military uniform acting as Master of Ceremonies. Music was provided by Wilye Stahl conducting the Toledo Paramount orchestra and Dwight Brown on the theatre’s new Wurlitzer organ.

Original construction costs were reported at $2.3 million plus the cost of the land, and included a reported $200,000 spent on interior decorations and original artwork. Muralwork throughout the theatre was by Louis Grell.

Seating was provided for 1,589 in the Orchestra (main floor), 394 in the Mezzanine, and 1,426 in the Balcony. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer 4-manual, 20-rank theatre organ (opus 2006).

The theatre was one of only a few Atmospheric theatres designed by renowned Chicago-based architectural firm Rapp & Rapp.

Although it was a beautiful theatre, the Paramount Theatre never fulfilled its potential, and for most of the time was a loss maker.

The theatre closed in early November 1960 and was converted into a Cinerama theatre. The theatre closed for good on 3rd November 1963 following a screening of How the West Was Won (1962) .

The theatre was demolished in September 1965. The site is now used for car parking.

Information in part sourced from Cinema Treasures .